Dr. Maggie Brennan:

On the point of digital champions for schools, it is important to focus on prevention in the context of awareness raising efforts and educational intervention. Another important role for any digital champion in a school would be to offer a first line of response where issues come up for children online. This would mean there is a distinct safeguarding and child protection component to this. When issues such as compromised images going viral, bullying within classes, etc, arise in schools, there needs to be both an element of response, as well as a preventive component. This is recognised within the UK policy in this area. The mandate for online safety, education and response in schools was established in the 2016 statutory safeguarding guidance for schools in the UK. It recognises it as a safeguarding issue, as well as one that requires preventive intervention.